Los Angeles Cosplay Contest at Nagoya Day

The 2014 Los Angeles Cosplay Contest was held on Sunday, August 10, 2014 at The Grove in Los Angeles, as part of "Nagoya Day" to celebrate the 55-year anniversary of sister city relations between Los Angeles and Nagoya. Emcee Ivan Van Norman, a Season One Contestant from TBS television's King of the Nerds hosted the contest which featured over 40 cosplayers from the Los Angeles/Southern California area. The judges of the event were Cosplay/Video Game Journalist Paola Alejandra, Designer/Professional Seamstress Kristine "Space Invader" Carr and Makeup / Special Effects Artist KC Mussman. The 2013 winner of America's Got Talent Kenichi Ebina entertained the crowd during the event with his amazing dance performance. The contest was produced for the Los Angeles Nagoya Sister City Affiliation (LANSCA) by Tokyo Journal / Authentasia. The Nagoya Day event was presented by the City of Nagoya and LANSCA.

INTERMEDIATE Vocabulary Game

Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

(An article regarding the Tokyo bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics originally appeared in Tokyo Journal Issue #272 Pg 9-11) Test your vocabulary with this interactive online word search puzzle about sports that are part of the Summer Olympics!

Home Makeover Spotlight II

Interior: Sharp Shades and Beautiful Blinds

As this California home has large windows with views of the pool in the front and a hilltop scenery at the side and back, the owners faced the challenge of selecting window coverings that would restrict direct sunlight during peak hours without blocking the magnificent views.

Meet Hikari Takara

Actress develops her career by learning English in Southern California

Tokyo Journal has zeroed in on eighteen-year-old actress Hikari Takara as a rising star in the international movie scene. Beginning her acting career at the age of twelve, Hikari has appeared in movies, TV dramas, and commercials. Following the release of her movie “Innocent Lilies,” Tokyo Journal first interviewed Hikari in fall of 2013 when Hikari moved to California to study English and do a homestay with an American host family. After a year in California, Tokyo Journal caught up with Hikari again. Hikari has her sights on being in a Hollywood movie and becoming a global star. Although she still has a long way to go, she has her acting experience complimented by her stunning appearance, height, newly founded English ability, dance skills, and some impressive martial arts moves. Prior to returning to Japan to resume her acting career, Tokyo Journal followed Hikari as she shows us some of her favorite hangouts and attractions in Southern California.